Just A Kiss
by Zane's Girl- Jo
Summary: That moment in the ruins of Jo's burned out house told him what she'd been denying herself for months... and told her what he'd been longing for since they met... and it took a shot in the dark, a touch of their burning fire, and a kiss goodnight in the moonlight...


**Just a Kiss**

**Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

**Summary: That moment in the ruins of Jo's burned out house told him what she'd been denying herself for months... and told her what he'd been longing for since they met... and it took a shot in the dark, a touch of their burning fire, and a kiss goodnight in the moonlight...**

"Nothing."

She moved past him, making her way towards what had once been a beautiful, spacious kitchen, to see if anything remained. From the look of things, nothing did, except the tatters of her broken life, her shredded heart, and her wounded dignity. The fact- the_ fact_- that he had the..._ audacity_! to _show up_ on her doorstep, mock the_ very real_ realization that she was now homeless, and then dare accuse her of denying that there was something between them-

Okay, so that last one was true, but why should she care? She had more important things to focus on- like where she was going to_ sleep_ tonight.

She stopped, turning. He stared into her eyes for a moment, before going to her. The beaten, broken down glimmer in her eyes told him that he'd hurt her deeply.

Their lips met, and he gently nudged her lips open, drinking in her taste. He pulled her slowly, until she was against his body; every curve, every smooth angle melting into his. His hands found her waist, and slowly, they moved to caress her back, running slowly up and down her spine, even as her arms went around his neck, and she subconsciously moved to cradle his head in her hands. Every so often, she'd pull away, as though rethinking this, but then he'd pull her back and deepen it.

She shuddered momentarily-

This was wrong. So, absolutely wrong.

She'd promised to stay away from Zane- not only Carter, but herself as well. And now... now she was breaking those promises.

But... the taste of his lips, the feel of his mouth on hers, of his body against hers, his comforting hand on her back...

He kissed her deeper; she pulled him closer, pressing her hips against his, enjoying how her body melded to his. This moment-

It told her, screamed at her, whispered to her what he'd been longing for since they met... someone to give him a chance, to not turn their back on him, to tell him that he wasn't in this world alone...

_It's hard to fight these feelings..._

She couldn't deny it anymore. Couldn't deny how right it was.

_It's never felt so right..._

* * *

He drank her in, ran his hands up her back, brushed his fingers over her hips, held her body to his, finding and feeling the curves of her body- so familiar, yet so unknown at the same time. It was almost like... he'd touched her before, when he never had. He tried, to tell her everything in that kiss, in the feel of her body against his- all his fears, his hopes, dreams, heartbreak- all of it, with the small fear that she would reject him, turn her back on him, like so many people had done in the past.

_I never open up to anyone..._

She deepened the kiss, and he clutched at her back, feeling the smooth silk of her black blouse beneath his fingers, and beneath the silk, the defined bones of her vertebrae. The response his body had to the close proxminity to hers- it was one he'd never felt before, with any woman. It was almost like-

Like fire and kindling.

Jo was the match, the fire ignited with the strike, and he; he was the kindling she ignited with her touch. A mere brushing of her hand to his, her lips against his lips, a glance, and suddenly, he burned with a desire he'd never known. A desire, a longing, to be with her.

To know everything about her, to lay in bed with her, to make love to her, to wake up beside her. A desire that included things he'd never considered- asking her to marry him, watching as she grew heavy with their children, being there when their children entered the world, holding her in his arms when they were old and grey, or sitting with her on the porch of his family's cabin, watching their family- he suddenly wanted all of it with her; a life, a family, a future.

He tasted her, drank in the pain and fear and torture she'd been putting herself through. Everything she'd gone through in this new time- it was all in her kiss, and he tasted what she'd been denying herself for months...

Happiness, love.

She was putting herself through torture- the good majority that he'd caused- and it was killing her. Slowly, painfully, deliberately killing her.

_I don't wanna mess this thing up..._

He wanted to tell her everything... to talk and tell her his hopes, his fears, that all he'd wanted was a chance with her, and that they could work through this, and become what he knew they could be-

A couple.

_It's so hard to hold back, when I'm holding you in my arms..._

* * *

Going back to his place would be a bad decision.

But she wanted it. So, so badly.

She'd been the good girl for far, _far_ too long. She deserved to be the bad girl for once.

Her hands moved down to his hips, gliding around his waist. She reached for his belt, and her nimble fingers quickly undid the buckle. She walked him back, towards where the front door of her house had once been-

They stumbled, landing and rolling on the grass. Sex here, in front of the remains of her now burning home, wasn't what she wanted, all she knew was that she wanted him- to be with him, to feel him inside her, to lay in his arms after.

* * *

He led her into his apartment. He had no memory of driving home; perhaps they walked, but either way, they were still in each others' arms, still locked together at the mouth, still drinking each other in. They moved back to the bedroom, shedding clothing and rediscovering each other. He pressed her against the bedroom wall, tugging on the straps of her bra, his lips brushed lightly over the soft mounds of her breasts. He could feel her tilt her head back, heard her soft gasping for air.

The bed rose up to meet them as they climbed onto it. They lay together for moments, staring into each others eyes. He searched her face, studied her eyes, saw the longing, the desire, the realization that this was _really_ happening.

_It's never felt so real..._

* * *

She struggled to catch a breath. Her heart was flipping in her chest. He stared into her eyes, she could see her fears reflected in those beautiful blue depths. His body pressed to hers, and she welcomed his familiar weight, familiar warmth, familiar touch.

_It feels so hard to breathe..._

She found herself wanting to spend every night like this. In his bed, in his apartment, with his comforting weight on her, familiar.

Suddenly, she realized, that she was caught up in the moment. He smiled softly at her, and she found herself smiling back.

* * *

Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. She bit her lip, before choking out,

"We don't need to rush this-"

He nodded. Were she anyone else, they wouldn't even be here, in this position, and if they ever were, it'd be sex. But with her, it would be making love. With Jo, he would always make love with her, always-

"Let's just take it slow, Jojo."

She nodded. "I'd like that."

* * *

This loving was slow, gentle. Somehow, someway, he knew her body. He knew what she liked and what she didn't; he knew how to please her.

She dug her nails gently into his back, holding him too her as they began to reach their climax, and as they cried out for each other, she found flashes of her Zane and this one blending together, becoming one. Perhaps they had always been, and she'd just never seen it, never acknowledged it.

When they lay in each others' arms afterwards, basking in the soft afterglow, he nuzzled his nose against her neck- something her Zane used to do. Slowly, she turned, to meet his gaze, and he smiled at her; soft, gentle, with a thousand promises.

_Maybe, if we give this a litte time, it'll bring us closer to..._

She swallowed.

_To the love we wanna find._

"I-"

"I don't-" They stopped, sharing confused glances, as they waited for the other to speak. "Go on, Jojo." He watched her lick her lips.

"I... don't want to mess this thing up."

"And I don't want to push too far."

They lay together, staring into each others' eyes, letting their confessions sink in, before,

"So... where do we go from here?" He thought a moment, reaching up to trace her features.

"Take it slow, give it time, and maybe..." He leaned close, staring into her eyes.

"I don't want to say goodnight, Zane." He nodded.

"I feel the same." He licked his lips. "You'll be in my dreams, Jojo. Even with you in my arms tonight."

She gave him a small smile. "So... you were saying? About... where we go?" She licked her lips. "And maybe what?"

He thought a moment, then leaned over her, staring into her eyes for a moment. She rolled onto her back, pulling him with her. "Start with just a kiss in the moonlight... a kiss goodnight..."

She leaned up, capturing his lips in his, her arms going around his neck.

* * *

That moment in the ruins of Jo's burned out house told him what she'd been denying herself for months... and told her what he'd been longing for since they met... and it took a shot in the dark, a touch of their burning fire, and a kiss goodnight in the moonlight...


End file.
